Gospel Multimedia Exhibition Proposal, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The 10/40 Window is a term used to refer to the rectangular area of the world from 10 degrees to 40 degrees latitude, with the world's least evangelized and most unreached groups of people. It is home to approximately 97% of the 2.5 billion unreached people in the world today. Every day, more than 70,000 people die in this world without having ever heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. This rectangle stretches from Southeast Asia, across the Middle East, over to West Africa. Ethiopia is one of the countries in the 10/40 Window where more than 4000 people die every day without hearing the gospel. In other words, while you are reading this document, with your every heart beat a person dies without hearing and believing in the gospel.

However “how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” Rom 10:14. For 1500 years, preaching was the primary means to share the gospel message. For the last 500 years, print media was able to fasten the spread of the gospel. We are now living in a visual age of films, photographs and music videos. Today the language of a growing number of people worldwide is visual story.

In this current age, visual media has great power to spread the gospel. Thus, we young people working in media, video and photography professions are planning to use the powerful medium of this age by organizing a photography and short video exhibition.

Ethiopia is traditionally called a Christian nation. Though, the nation is traditionally religious, about 81% of the population has not yet believed in the gospel. Basically, the belief that one can be saved only through his/her good works is so common among the society. Religious people believe they will earn salvation by trying to keep the laws. Though keeping the law is good by itself, people can never earn salvation through keeping the laws, after all we are living in a fallen world, no human being can keep the law by his/her efforts, this is why we need a savior.

Thus, the evangelical exhibition aims to use the 10 commandments to alert the target audience that they are naturally never good enough to do all good works, and keep God’s laws by themselves. This exhibition portrays the 10 commandments in photographs to make people realize that they fail to keep them. Short videos will also be used to show that whoever fails to keep the law, are subject to the wrath of God, punishment of eternal hell.

Why the 10 commandments?

The 10 commandments exist not only in Christian (Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant) religion but also in Islam and even in Atheism as a moral value. The Bible tells that the law of God is written on the hearts of man. People intrinsically know right from wrong. Thus by using the 10 commandments one can easily relate to any individual without gender, religious or racial differences.

Summary of the Event

In the multimedia exhibition, various photographs depicting the 10 commandments will be shown. The photographs aim to let viewers ask themselves whether they have ever kept the 10 commandments. The photos will show viewers that in one way or the other that they have transgressed the law of God. By breaking the law, viewers shall realize that they are sinners.

. "… For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts of lust, theft, murder, adultery, wanting what belongs to others, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, and all other folly. All these vile things come from within; they are what pollute you and make you unfit for God." Mark 7:20-23.

During the photo exhibit, silent short films will be shown on a screen. The Silent videos aim is to let viewers realize that by failing to keep at least one law, that they are guilty of all. “For whoever keeps the whole law and stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” James 2:10.

The videos will show that people can never keep the laws of God and earn righteousness by themselves, whatever energy, passion, work they apply.

After viewers see the photographs and the silent movies they will be ushered to the next part of the multimedia exhibition which will be, short God videos/gospel videos. Viewers will sit and watch the videos on a laptop privately wearing earphones. These videos will depict salvation is not by work but by faith and the only way to salvation is Jesus Christ. “For by grace are ye saved through faith, not of yourselves...not of works.” Eph.2:8,9

A jazz music will be played outside of the exhibition hall, to call attention and attract people walking by the exhibition area. This will also entertain the audience already present at the exhibition.

At the end of the show, viewers will meet team members to discuss if they have any questions, team members will share the gospel with them and they will be handled free Bibles (Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant’s version). This is done to let the audience know that the main purpose of the exhibition is not attracting people to different religious sects but to show truth of the gospel that is found in any version of the bible.

The exhibition will be conducted for 3 days. It will begin with opening cocktail on Friday night and continues till Sunday night.

Making the hall ready by hanging photographs, projectors, computers

Placing people with different responsibilities including those who will share the gospel and answer questions

Within the duration of the event, hold meetings to evaluate the daily proceedings

Document the event through photographs

After event

Facilitate ways for new believers to be connected with churches to get discipleship lessons

Prepare and send out certificate of appreciation for all volunteer participants and sponsors

Long term plans

This Evangelical Exhibition will also continue in other regional towns (Mekelle, BahirDar, Nazreth) Moreover, the videos shown on the exhibition will also be posted on You Tube, Vimeo and other similar internet pages so that their purpose in sharing the gospel will continue.

Sponsorship areas

There are different areas that you can support as an individual or organization. As we hand this proposal to you, we invite you to invest in this plan through prayer, finances and advice and be part of this opportunity to save souls. Please review the following areas and mark on the area that you want to support.

Areas that need financial support

Amount

Mark underneath

Video production

1

Professional’s cost

49,000.00

2

Equipments for photography and video

133,200.00

Event

1

Rent fee for venue ( the venue should be somewhere convenient for the target population and a gallery or Café that has never been used for any religious activity)

10,000.00

2

Photograph printing

4000.00

3

Advertisement printing (Banners, posters and invitation cards)

21,500.00

4

Partition boards, photograph frames

21,800.00

5

Stationary materials

3000.00

6

Transport

6000.00

7

Bibles to be handed out for the audience

4000.00

Total

252,500.00

= 13,648 $

If you need further information in the above stated areas please look at the last page.

The above stated cost for professionals will mostly be carried out by people organizing this exhibition. There will be conditions in which other professionals could be hired. These are also listed out on the appendix page. Please notice that the italized lists are those that are covered by the production team.

Most video works will be done with rented equipments so the organizers need great support in this area and other event costs.

Apart from the financial support, we would really like to encourage those who would like to support in kind that is, video and photography professionals, photo Studios (in printing photographs and providing frames ), printing Enterprises (in printing of advertisement materials), and those who have halls/ areas that can be used for exhibitions.

Organizers

Genaye Eshetu

After getting her master’s degree in Journalism and Communications, Genaye has been working on communications for the past 4 years in different charitable organizations. In addition she is the chief editor for a magazine printed for African Countries. She has taken training on media evangelism and participated on evangelism exhibition in Thailand. She plans to use different means of communication to spread the gospel for those who have not had the chance of hearing.

Dawit Zewdu

Dawit is a film school graduate who has experience of 9 years in photography, documentary videos, TV commercials, Music videos with various organizations. In 200, he opened his own company called ‘Barefoot Productions” and has worked on documentary video editing and photography with Aljezeera Television and German TV and other esteemed organizations. Dawit wants to use films to bring positive influence on Ethiopia’s social, economic and political image.

Yodahe Abebe

Yodahe is a student of Media and Film at Mekane Yesus Jazz Music School. He has produced a documentary film on local adoption and individually has produced on a short film revolving on youth. He has talent in painting, graphic designing and also writing. Moreover, he serves as a musician at Beza Youth Band.

Daniel Yihdego

Daniel is a graduate of pedagogy and graphics design. For 6 years he worked as high school students tutor. After establishing his own company, for the past 8 years Daniel has been working on photography and graphic design.

Yonas Tadesse

Yonas graduated in Information technology and has been working for two years on graphic design and photography. In 2012, yonas established his own company, ‘Lomi Images’, and has been working in Gine art and Fashion photography. In addition, yonas worked as a photographer for charity organization and magazine and big concerts/ Lily concert.